Biota from the coastal wetlands of Praia da Vitória (Terceira, Azores, Portugal): Part 1 - Arthropods

Abstract

During a LIFE research project aiming at the implementation of the conservation of the habitats and restoration of coastal wetland areas of Praia da Vitória (Terceira, Azores, Portugal), there was the opportunity undertake a systematic record of several groups of arthropods in three wetland areas: Paul da Praia da Vitória (PPV), Paul do Belo Jardim (PBJ) and Paul da Pedreira do Cabo da Praia (PPCP). The objective of the study was to perform a rapid biodiversity assessment, comparing the three sites in two different years, before and after the implementation of several conservation measures. This project also contributed to improve the knowledge of Azorean arthropod diversity at both local and regional scales, including new taxa for Terceira island and new records for Azores. Taking into consideration those aims, a set of standardised sampling methods were performed, inspired by the COBRA protocol originally developed for spiders. A total of 15,810 specimens belonging to 216 arthropod species and subspecies were collected. Beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera) and spiders (Araneae) dominated, with 81 and 51 taxa, respectively. Two beetle families dominated, Staphylinidae and Curculionidae with, respectively, 22 and 17 species and subspecies. Exotic species were also dominant (132 species and subspecies), the Azorean endemics being restricted to only eight taxa. The remaining 76 species and subspecies are native non-endemic. Two rare endemic species were found with relatively sustainable populations, the Azores Cone-head Conocephaluschavesi (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) and the true weevil Drouetiusoceanicusoceanicus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae). A total of six species are novel for the Azores, five exotic (Blediusunicornis, Carpelimuszealandicus, Oenopiadoublieri, Sitonahispidulus, Trichiusaimmigrata) and one possibly native (Pyrrhocorisapterus). An additional 15 taxa are novel for Terceira island, ten exotic (Cheiracanthiummildei, Cylindroiuluslatestriatus, Eumodicogryllusbordigalensis, Nemobiussylvestris, Pissodescastaneus, Psyllipsocusramburi, Trachyzeloteslyonneti, Trigonnidiumcicindeloides, Tychiuscuprifer, Zelotestenuis) and five native (Aegialiaarenaria, Oxypodalurida, Platycleissabulosa, Plinthisusbrevipennis, Tachyuradiabrachys).